A 71-year-old woman died in a four-vehicle wreck in the westbound lanes of I-64, west of Oyster Point Road, Newport News, Virginia (VA), on the morning of June 14, 2011, according to the Virginian-Pilot.
When a 1997 Mercury Tracer got a flat tire while traveling in the right, center lane of the interstate, the driver slowed down, turned on the car’s hazard lights and attempted to move to the right shoulder. A 2007 Ford Focus slowed behind the Mercury. At the same time, a 2008 Ford F-150 truck changed lanes, but didn’t see the Mercury and Ford slowing down. The truck driver tried to stop, but struck the Ford which hit the Mercury. Meanwhile, the driver of a 1996 Mercedes lost control, spun around and hit the rear passenger side of the Ford.
The driver of the Ford was taken to Riverside Regional Medical Center where she died. Her passenger, age 17, suffered serious injuries. The driver of the Mercury suffered non-life threatening injuries, and was also taken to Riverside.
Neither the truck driver or the Mercedes driver were injured. They were each charged with reckless driving. The Police Department’s Fatal Crash Team was still investigating, and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office will screen the case. If the VA wreck was the fault of anyone, the family or friends of the woman who died might have to file a wrongful death case with the assistance of Virginia personal injury lawyers against the responsible parties to get justice for the loss suffered.
This Virginia vehicle crash illustrated the damage that can occur in a car wreck, and how someone might need to engage VA personal injury attorneys to help in recovering. To learn more about what to do if you or a loved one is hurt in a car accident, check out our Frequently Asked Questions devoted to the subject.
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